


things that cannot be long hidden

by magicandlight



Series: The States [40]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 10:12:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13292652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicandlight/pseuds/magicandlight
Summary: or, 20 times America almost told the secret of the states, and 4 times he did





	things that cannot be long hidden

( **Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth- Buddha** )

 ** _1_** **: Virginia, America; May 1754**  
Arthur is in his house for the first time since he'd found the colonies, and Alfred was fully-prepared to tell him.

He wants to tell him about their sons and daughters. About how he named Elizabeth for their queen. About Wesley's middle name. About how very much Samantha looks like him sometimes.

But then he remembers that not all of those beautiful children are Arthur's.

That two are Netherlands' and two are France's, and Arthur has been fighting wars against those two Alfred's entire life.

He will not see his children used as pawns.

The idea is only cemented when Arthur brings a war into their childhood home.

 ** _(1) York, Pennsylvania, America; October 5, 1777_**  
Alfred has gotten used to not telling people about the states.

But now, Prussia has Sam and he has her by her hair and he can feel Sam's fear flickering through the bond that links him to all his children.

He has no choice.

"America.  _What_  are they."

Scarlett and Ginny bristle at his tone. "What do you mean,  _what_  are  _we_? We're not the ones with the red eyes."

"You are not human. I don't know what you are, but you're not human and you aren't nations."

 _It's alright_ , America lets that thought sink through the bond.

Connie tilts her head. "Of course not, we're states."

 ** _2_** ** _:_** **Paris, France; September 1782**  
America reads over the Treaty France hands him.

As he sets it down on the table, and looks up at France.

He imagines the scenario in his head, where he tells France exactly what he's thinking:  _Vermont has the same eyes, but where his are honest and open, yours are full of deceit and lies._

Instead, America opens his mouth. "Goodbye, France. John, Benjamin, let's go."

He goes to England that day, and asks to negotiate with the British directly.

 ** _3_** ** _:_** **Paris, France; August 1783**  
England is ignoring him as their officials work on the Treaty.

He wants to say,  _Elizabeth was fencing yesterday, I think she got that from you_.

He wants to say,  _Samantha has your eyes and your temper_.

He wants to say,  _Daniel has a way of looking at you that can make you feel horrible, and it's like David is looking right at your soul sometimes_.

He wants to say,  _Scott doesn't hate you, he might be the only one that doesn't_.

He wants to say,  _Connie is the gentlest soul I'd ever met and they said you were there when they hung Nathan Hale, please tell me it isn't true, tell me you didn't watch them execute that sweet boy, Connie loved him more than she loved herself_.

But Alfred can't say that, so he says nothing at all.

 ** _4_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; 1804**  
France comes to visit in 1804.

He asks about Louisiana is doing as a territory.

How is he supposed to answer that, knowing what he does? _Oh, yeah, France, Louisiana has the darkest skin I've seen in a while but you've never met a cuter little girl. She's got the prettiest brown eyes- like the color of chocolate. She speaks French with a creole accent and English with a southern one._

"It's doing pretty well."

 ** _5_** ** _:_** **Ghent, Belgium; December 1814**  
England is obviously shocked by the frostiness he receives from America.

America doesn't care.

His baby is  _blind_.

For the first time, America hates England with everything he has.

 ** _6_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; February 22, 1819**  
Spain scrawls his name down, passing the papers back to America.

He considers telling Spain about the girl with his eyes and a love of tomatoes.

But to tell Spain is to tell the world, and that's too dangerous for the states.

 ** _7_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; July 1849**  
Germany comes in the summer to see how his immigrants are doing.

America wants to reassure him, to tell him about the new state with his eyes, about the many states that speak German.

Instead, he smiles. "I'll take good care of them. Promise."

 ** _8 : _** **Washington DC, America;** **June 17, 1858**  
It has been a long day- trying to hold Addison together long enough for her healing to kick in. 

He doesn't bother changing- the White House staff knows well enough what was wrong with Addison, why he's got blood on his clothes more often than not. 

Michael and Cordelia come to greet him when he walks into the White House to pick up his paperwork.

He gives them a brief update. "Addy still won't stop bleeding. I left her with Austin- England?"

England straightens. "America. Heard you're on the brink of civil war."

Fury boils in America's veins, and he's five seconds from blowing the secret by exploding at England. 

Cordelia grasps his hand, and America calms enough to say something else.

"Fuck off, England."

 ** _9 : _** **New York, America; July 4, 1884**  
The Statue is an amazing gift, and America thanks France profusely,

"The-"  _states will love it._  "The people are gonna love this, France, thank you."

 ** _10 : _** **Paris, France; December 1898**  
Spain is frowning as he signs, and America wishes he could tell him that this wouldn't kill the Philippines, that he had already made preparations for traveling to find the others.

But he can't.

America never denies a single one of his requests to see Clara- America understands that Spain just needs to know she's alive.

 ** _11_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; November 1916**  
England is screaming about his Neutrality again, and Alfred is just so  _tired_.

Yesterday, he'd felt one of the states die, all the way across the ocean. There is no word to explain his grief.

Alfred almost screams back at England. My children are fighting for you.  _They are_ _dying_ _for you_.

Instead, he looks England in the eyes, and thinks of the things Sera had written out for him. "Your government borrowed heavily from New York banks. They'd like me to inform you that your credit has run dry. And for the last time, I'm not bailing the lot of you out of Europe's war. You all started it, you can finish it."

 ** _12_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; February 23, 1917**  
England brings the telegram to America personally.

He watches silently as America reads it.

When America finally looks at him, he's shocked that England doesn't look smug.

America puts his head in his hands. He doesn't hear England approach, and startles when England rests a hand on his shoulder.

 _Marisol. Elijah. Austin_.

"He's threatening my states." America states in disbelief. "My Arizona. New Mexico. Texas.  _My_ _states_ _, Arthur_."

England doesn't blink at the use of his human name. "I know, Alfred. Germany is threatening to take your territory. This requires a response."

 _That isn't what I meant at all_.

 ** _13_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; February 6, 1922**  
This treaty is supposed to prevent an arms race, but America wants to wipe the smug look off England's face. 

He knew his Navy had surpassed England's, and yet England was acting like America was a child playing at being strong.

America shakes his head at the absurdity. Liz or Daniel- either one could hold their own against England. And they had been sailing for a far shorter time. Neither had been pleased with the treaty restricting the production of warships.

Once again, America wants to tell England about the states, maybe just to see his face.  
  
He doesn't though, because he will not put them in that sort of danger. 

 ** _(2) Virginia, America; April 23, 1924_**  
Lithuania clearly doesn't know what to expect when Alfred tells him to get in the car, they're going to meet someone.

He seems even more confused when Alfred pulls into the driveway of the Virginia house.

But the secret of his children is eating him from the inside out and Lithuania is the only one he can tell.

Lithuania is shocked, of course.

Children are rare amongst nations because they can't conceive their own.

But here he is, in a room full of teenagers and children.

Lithuania faints.

 ** _14_** ** _:_** **New Orleans, Lousiana, America; April 30, 1925**  
France eyes Evangeline, clearly noting her beauty, and America wants to laugh. 

He isn't surprised, really, that France couldn't tell who she was- Evangeline didn't look much like France after all. 

America briefly entertains the idea of telling France that's his daughter he's eyeing like a future-conquest, because he feels France's reaction would be  _hilarious_ , and perhaps he could keep a secret.

He discards the idea when Evangeline leaves with a wink and a brief goodbye. 

 ** _15_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; March 1941**  
England frowns in confusion at the papers in front of him. "...what is this?"

The same confusion is on France's face. 

America grins. "It's lend-lease. It was-"  _the states' idea, all of them so eager to stay out of this war and yet so eager to help_ \- "my bosses idea. We'll give you weapons and munitions and provisions so you can win this war."

 ** _16_** **: Virginia, America; December 22, 1946**  
Finland smiles at the little ornaments on the tree.

"You kept them." He says softly. 

Back in 1917, when America had been one of the first people to recognize Finland's independence, Finland had sent a small box of little wooden elf ornaments. 

Del had been fascinated by them and insisted that they always had a place on the tree. 

"Yeah." 

 _It'd be alright if Finland knew, right? Prussia and Lithuania knew, and they hadn't always been on the same side of America but they'd always kept the secret_.

America opens his mouth, the words already on his tongue. 

"America! Where do you keep the booze?"

America spins on his heel. "Hey! No way you already drank all of the stuff I left out!"

 ** _17_** ** _:_** **Tokyo, Japan; April 1947**  
Japan runs his hand over the sheathed katana. 

America wonders if Japan is remembering the same thing he is- little Philippines, not so weak and defenseless after all with a stolen katana in her hands. 

Sure, the Philippines was eventually captured, but rumor had it Clara had gone down swinging. 

(She'd gotten her independence last July. Alfred was more than a little proud.)

The subconscious smile America had gotten when he began to think of Clara's independence fades at the thought that had she been a little older, that could have been Lani with a stolen katana in her hands.

America shakes his head to get rid of the thought. 

He isn't sure if he'll ever trust another nation enough to tell them about the states after this war.

Japan looks at him, finally. "I have done awful things."

America doesn't smile, for once. "So have I. All nations do awful things on behalf of their people."

It isn't exactly forgiveness on either side, but it's a start. 

 ** _18_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; September 6, 1959**  
Russia can never know. 

He can never know about the sweet, sweet boy with violet eyes and pale hair. 

Russia can never know that he isn't the only one favored by Winter. 

And even though part of America remembers the nation that was once a friend, he's learned that nations can switch between friend and enemy in the blink of an eye. 

 ** _(3) New York, New York, America;_** ** _November 17, 1983_**  
Another nation knows.

Russia knowing is infinitely more dangerous than Prussia or Lithuania knowing. 

But America had seen the brief gleam of something softer in Russia's eyes when he'd looked at Russia, and so when New York looks at him before she hands Russia her address, he nods. 

 ** _19_** ** _:_** **Washington DC, America; December 13, 1992**  
America invites Belarus out for after-meeting ice-skating on a whim. 

For all those horror stories the other nations told, she was barely anything like they said. 

(And after all, Russia had mentioned she could skate offhandedly to Alaska.)

And yes, maybe Alfred had wondered about his child's aunt. 

America quickly realizes that Belarus is a  _figure_  skater. 

She laughs at America's bulky hockey skates as she ties on her own. 

America watches as she executes a graceful jump.

"Wow, that was amazing! The last person I saw pull that off was Mindy, and she's always had a knack for it."

He realizes his mistake a second after.  _Oh no_.

Belarus cocks her head. "Mindy?"

America grins- the grin the nations now when he's about to say something idiotic- "Yeah! She's this figure-skater, lives up in Minnesota. I hit her with a hockey puck one time when me and Matt were playing hockey."

While it wasn't untrue- he had once hit Minnie with a puck- it was because she was the opposing goalie. She'd repaid the favor when they'd switched out and she took Sebastian's place as a winger.

Belarus looks unimpressed by his story, but she doesn't question it.

 ** _20 : _** **Kiev, Ukraine; April 1994**  
America grins at Ukraine. "This your first time hosting a World Meeting?" 

She nods. "It's nerve-wracking."

"Don't worry. You'll do great."

Ukraine smiles, eyes crinkling up the same way Alaska's do when he smiles.

_How exactly do you tell your kid's aunt that she is, in fact, an aunt?_

It's a question America can't answer, so he just keeps his mouth shut.

 ** _(4) V_** ** _irginia, America;_** ** _December 2017_**  
_There will be no sweeping it under the rug this time_ , Alfred thinks. 

He has gotten so used to carrying this secret. 

 _And perhaps it is time to let the secret out_. 

"Fine." America sighs. "They're my kids." He hears the nations present choking. "The states."

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't tell  
> -In one, the war that England brings them is the French-Indian War, which started in May of 1754. The Originals were too young to fight in it.
> 
> -In two, France is acting as the go-between England and America during the Treaty of Paris. Eventually, France is cut out of negotiations after attempting to get America to approve of a treaty that was frankly awful for the Americans.
> 
> -In three, England and America are sitting in an editing meeting for the Treaty of Paris.
> 
> -In four, France is inquiring about the Lousiana Purchase, which Napolean sold in April 1803 to the US for $15 million in order to keep it out of British hands.
> 
> -In five, England and America are preparing to sign the Treaty of Ghent to end the War of 1812.
> 
> -In six, Spain is signing the Adams–Onís Treaty, which cedes Florida to the United States.
> 
> -In seven, Germany comes to see how the German immigrants. In particular, the Forty-Eighters, immigrants who left because of the failed German Revolutions of 1848 which accelerated emigration from Germany, though this isn't mentioned in the section. 
> 
> -In eight, England comes to see America before the Civil War. (You might recognize this one from Twenty-Five Times.)
> 
> -In nine, France gives America the Statue of Liberty.
> 
> -In ten, Spain is signing the Treaty of Paris, which ends the Spanish-American War. The treaty involved relinquishing most of the Spanish Empire, especially Cuba, as well as ceding Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.
> 
> -In eleven, England is arguing about America's neutrality in WWI. The British were originally financing trade with America by the sale of American bonds and stocks owned by the British. When they exhausted that, the British borrowed heavily from New York banks. When that credit ran dry in late 1916, England was on the verge of a financial crisis.
> 
> -In twelve, England gives America the Zimmermann Telegram.
> 
> -In thirteen, England and America are signing the Washington Naval Treaty, which was to prevent an arms race by limiting the construction of warships. However, the 922 treaty was not renewed in 1932 and Britain, Japan, and America were in another naval arms race. 
> 
> -In fourteen, France is visiting America. (Again, you might recognize this one from Twenty-Five Times.)
> 
> -In fifteen, France and England are given the Lend-Lease Treaty.
> 
> -In sixteen, America almost tells Finland during the first Nations' Holiday Party.
> 
> -In seventeen, Japan and America are talking during the American occupation of Japan after WWII.
> 
> -In eighteen, America decides not to tell Russia about Alaska. 
> 
> -In nineteen, America goes ice-skating with Belarus and accidentally lets Mindy's name slip.
> 
> -In twenty, Ukraine hosts her first World Meeting.
> 
> (Did tell)  
> -In one, Prussia is told about the states.
> 
> -In two, Lithuania is told about the states
> 
> -In three, Russia meets Alaska, leading to him learning about the states. 
> 
> -In four, the secret is let out, leading to the events of The (Sometimes) United States


End file.
